Town Council
The Town Council (formerly known as Founder's Council) is a body of high-ranking civil servants in Mystic Falls who, officially, are in charge of commemorating the foundation of the town. Unofficially, their true goal is to protect the town from the threat of vampires. But up until now, only Carol Lockwood and Elizabeth Forbes knew of the existence of werewolves and other supernatural threats to the town. The body itself served as the de-facto main antagonist in Season One. Mission The Council was created by the Founding Families a short time after the events of 1864. It's purpose was to protect the town against any returning vampires, but not the other supernatural threats unbeknownst to them. Founding Fathers like Giuseppe Salvatore, Johnathan Gilbert, and others left their descendants journals containing information on how to fight vampires, such as the secret of the vervain. Johnathan Gilbert also left his compass to track vampires, but it was separated into two parts: one held by the Gilbert's and one by the Lockwood's. The leader of the Council in recent years was Mayor Richard Lockwood, but now Damon Salvatore will be his replacement, chosen by Carol Lockwood. The main armed forces are provided by Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes and her trustworthy deputies. Other known members of the Council were Grayson and Miranda, John Gilbert, Zach Salvatore, and Logan Fell. Upon discovering that Damon and Stefan Salvatore and Caroline Forbes are all vampires and that Tyler Lockwood is a hybrid, Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes agree to keep their identities a secret as long as they don't hurt anyone. Members Alive/Undead Members * Damon Salvatore (He was one of the founding members in the 21st century, and the head of the Council. After the revelation of Alaric, it is assumed that he was relieved of his position as leader. The Council's population has decreased because of Alaric's death and Pastor Young killing himself and the rest of the Council, except for Damon, Carol Lockwood, Elizabeth Forbes, and Meredith Fell. Damon, Elizabeth and Meredith are the only members the Council has left remaining. Damon still maintains his position of being the head of the Council.) * Elizabeth Forbes (She was one of the founding members in the 21st century, and the sheriff of Mystic Falls. After the revelation of Alaric, she was relieved of her position as sheriff. The Council's population has decreased because of Alaric's death and Pastor Young killing himself and the rest of the Council, except for Damon, Carol Lockwood, Elizabeth, and Meredith Fell. Damon, Elizabeth and Meredith are the only members of the Council has left.) * Meredith Fell (She was one of the founding members in the 21st century, and a doctor in Mystic Falls . After the revelation of Alaric, it is assumed that she was relieved of her position as doctor. The Council's population has decreased because of Alaric's death and Pastor Young killing himself and the rest of the Council, except for Damon, Carol Lockwood, Elizabeth Forbes, and Meredith. Damon, Elizabeth and Meredith are the only members of the Council has left. Meredith retains her position on the Council and as a doctor after the explosion.) Deceased Members * Richard Lockwood (One of the founding members in the 21st century and head of the council in 2009, died of snapped neck) * Carol Lockwood (She was one of the founding members in the 21st century, and the mayor of Mystic Falls. After the revelation of Alaric, it is assumed that she was relieved of her position as mayor. However, after Alaric's death and Pastor Young killing himself and the rest of the Council, except for Damon Salvatore, Carol, Elizabeth Forbes, and Meredith Fell, it is now assumed that they are the only four remaining members of the Council. Carol retains her position on the Council and as Mayor of Mystic Falls after the explosion. She was killed by Niklaus.) * Benjamin Lockwood (One of the first founding members and head of the council, died of natural causes) * George Lockwood (One of the founding members, died of natural causes) * Barnette Lockwood (One of the founding members, dies of natural causes) * Marianna Lockwood (One of the founding members in 1912, killed by Stefan Salvatore) * Grayson Gilbert (One of the founding members in the 21st century, died in car accident) * Miranda Gilbert (One of the founding members in the 21st century, died in car accident) * John Gilbert (Researcher in the 21st century, sacrificed himself to save his daughter; magic) * Johnathan Gilbert (One of the first founding members and inventor, died of natural causes) * Alaric Saltzman (One of the founding members in the 21st century and vampire hunter all while having the day job of a teacher, died cause of Elena's death as his life was tied to hers) * Giuseppe Salvatore (One of the first founding members, killed by Stefan Salvatore) * Zachariah Salvatore (One of the founding members in 1912, killed by Samantha Gilbert) * Zach Salvatore (Supplier of vervain in the 21st century, killed by Damon Salvatore) * Bill Forbes (One of the founding members in the 21st century, killed by Alaric Saltzman) * Gerald Forbes (Sheriff in 1922, died of natural causes) * William Forbes (One of the first founding members and sheriff, died of natural causes) * Thomas Fell (One of the first founding members, killed by Stefan Salvatore) * Honoria Fell * Logan Fell (Reporter in the 21st century, killed by Alaric Saltzman) * Brian Walters (Medical examiner in the 21st century, killed by Alaric Saltzman) * Unnamed members (Founding members in 1912, killed by Samantha Gilbert) * Rudy Hopkins: Interim mayor and Bonnie's father. He was not from a founding family and only joined by becoming mayor. One of his first acts was putting vervain in the town water supply. * Pastor Young (He was one of the members in the 21st century, and one of the Hunters of Mystic Falls, killed himself along with the Town Council.) * Daniel JonesSeen on the list * James Michael HarrisSeen on the list * Nancy Webber Seen on the list * Linda Jones Seen on the list * Stanford Springfield Seen on the list * Barbara Johnson Seen on the list * James Joseph Johnson (ESQ) Seen on the list * Linda Anderson Seen on the list * Thomas Michael Skinner Seen on the list * Donna Skinner Seen on the list * Patricia Harris Seen on the list * Sr. Peter Moutin Seen on the list * Lucille Ann Martin Seen on the list * Nancy-Marie Lockwood Seen on the list * John Paul Jones Seen on the list * Michael Roben White Seen on the list * Carol Robinson Seen on the list * Philip Robinson Esq Seen on the list * Richard Robinson Seen on the list * Alexander Thomas Seen on the list History 1864 In 1864, the towns people of Mystic Falls were aware of vampires. Giuseppe Salvatore had come up with a plan to capture, lock, and burn the vampires in the town church. Katherine was one of the first vampires to be captured, and was revealed by means of the vervain Giuseppe had spiked Stefan's drink with, causing Katherine to convulse when she drank his blood. A Vampire Muzzle was placed over her mouth to prevent her from biting. Later, Pearl and the other vampires were caught with the help of Johnathan Gilbert's compass and the aid of the towns people. The purging of the town's vampires in 1864 was secretly spearheaded by werewolves, mainly the Lockwood Family. Unbeknownst to them, Emily had made a deal with Damon to save Katherine and the other vampires in the church, with constituents that he would protect her descendants. She entombed them with a spell made on the crystal. Each of the founding family members had written journals and passed it down to their children, who are the existing members of the Founder's Council. Season One A New Vampire Threat In 2009, Damon Salvatore returned to Mystic Falls with a mysterious goal. During the Founders' party, the Council held its first vampire related meeting in several years. Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes told the Mayor, his wife and Logan Fell of the five vampire style killings in Mystic Falls. Using his relationship with Jenna Sommers, Logan got his hands on the half of the vampire compass held by the Gilbert's. Richard Lockwood united the two parts and ordered Sheriff Forbes and Logan Fell to track down the vampires. Fell, armed with a gun loaded with wooden bullets, shot Stefan Salvatore near the old Fell's Church where he was trying to help a transitioning Vicki Donovan. Logan tried to stake Stefan, but was killed by Damon before he could. Sheriff Forbes and her deputies arrived too late to save him or find the Salvatore brothers. Infiltrating the Council Damon Salvatore approached the Council shortly after with a stash of vervain to gain their trust, claiming that the now dead Zach Salvatore had left town and had given him his place on the Council. Sometime later, Damon framed Lexi as the attacking vampire, and staked her after she tried to kill Sheriff Forbes and two of her deputies. She accepted to keep Damon on the Council, and kept him informed about their activities. Logan Fell's reign of terror Logan Fell returned shortly after as a vampire. He had been killing off humans and hiding their bodies in an old warehouse. However, he left one in sight as he had enough of staying in the shadows. He ambushed and tortured Damon to know how he could walk in the daylight. However, he had other plans. Believing that Sheriff had betrayed him by covering up his death, he told her that he was going to have revenge by turning her daughter, Caroline Forbes, into a vampire. However, she was saved by Damon and Stefan, and while Stefan brought her back to safety, Damon threatened Logan. Logan told him that he could help in his final goal, so Damon feigned not being strong enough to stop him. Logan was later killed by Alaric Saltzman, the mysterious new history teacher, who is revealed to be a Vampire Hunter. John Gilbert's return and plotting John Gilbert returned to Mystic Falls for Founders Day with startling news: local blood banks had been robbed suggesting that other vampires were still in town. He later reveals to Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman that he knew more than the Council: he knew about the tomb of vampires under Fell's Church and that Stefan and Damon were vampires. Damon attempted to kill John, but he had a Gilbert Ring, which keeps people from dying supernatural deaths. He later tried to blackmail Damon into helping him find a mysterious invention created by Johnathan Gilbert. However, Damon threatened to kill John and everyone else on the Council. Strike Against the Vampires In the season finale, during Founder's Day, John convinced Richard Lockwood to use Johnathan Gilbert's invention against the tomb vampires who were planning to attack the Founding Families to have their revenge. Richard agreed but they knew that Sheriff Forbes would never agree to use the town as bait. To get her on their side, they staged a coup against her by going behind her and gaining her deputies' support. She was furious but still refused to help them. John knocked her out and cuffed her to a table in her office. As the fireworks started, John activated the invention, paralyzing every vampire in town and, mysteriously, Richard and his son Tyler Lockwood. Forbes's deputies neutralized the vampires with vervain and locked them up in the basement of Grayson Gilbert's old cabinet. John set fire to it, killing all except Damon, who was saved by Stefan and Bonnie Bennett. Mayor, who had been locked in the basement, was killed when a vampire snapped his neck. Later, John was stabbed by Katherine Pierce, the vampire he had been working for. She had removed his ring but he survived the attack and later left town, threatened by Stefan. Season Two New Leadership After Richard Lockwood's death and John Gilbert's departure from Mystic Falls, Carol Lockwood, as the acting Mayor, asked Damon to spearhead the Council and lead the investigation into who had attacked John Gilbert. Confusion was on the council on why Richard was affected by the device when he was not a vampire, but unknown to them he was a werewolf. However, they learned more about the supernatural when Damon told them that John's ring will bring him back to life. Arrival of Katherine Pierce, and Niklaus Mikaelson After the arrival of Mason Lockwood and Katherine Pierce to Mystic Falls, The council members begin to suspect on Gilbert Family and Salvatore Family. The Forbes family were the most affected by the arrival of Mason and Katherine: Caroline is converted into a vampire and Elizabeth learns the truth about Damon and Stefan. Eventually, Elizabeth agrees to keep the secret and protect her daughter but Caroline clears Liz's memory and Mason is killed by Damon. After knowing the fate of Mason, Katherine plans to pursue another werewolf and punish at the same time Elena, Stefan, and Damon. During this time, the council remains inactive, because Elena, Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy and Alaric didn't want them to know about Tyler and Caroline. Unfortunately, Klaus comes to town and the council is put on alert. Elizabeth learns by Matt about Caroline, Tyler, Gilbert's and Salvatore's. Unfortunately, Elizabeth accidentally kills Jeremy Gilbert but is revived by Bonnie Bennett. Caroline tells her mother about what she did to protect her and Matt. Season Three New Allies A Month and half after the retreat of Klaus and Stefan, Carol Lockwood suspicious of Caroline and Elizabeth Forbes. Worried about her son Tyler, Carol imprisons Caroline and she calls Bill Forbes to take care of her. Tyler discovers that her mother has Caroline and he shows that vampires are not the only supernatural beings that inhabit Mystic Falls. Carol accepts the truth and helps keep their secret. Alaric Saltzman joins the council as a representative of the Gilbert Family and humans. Being clear that Stefan, Damon and Caroline are vampires, Tyler is a werewolf and Bonnie is a witch, Carol and Elizabeth keep the secret to protect the townspeople and their families. They also learn that Elena, Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, Matt, Alaric and Jeremy have protected the townspeople and their families from the supernatural menace. Original/Hybrid Threat Niklaus returns to town with Stefan and Rebekah, to find ways to make more hybrids. Niklaus discovers that Elena's blood is the solution, but Damon and Katherine discover that there is a being who can be the key to destroy Niklaus. Fearing the truth, Niklaus leaves town, his sister, and Stefan to find more werewolves to turn into hybrids. During this time, the council continues its normal activities to the population, however, a member of the Original Family wreaks havoc between the world of the living and the dead, causing the dead to return as ghosts and cause damage throughout town. Tobias Fell is murdered and Carol is injured by ghosts. Reapers' Deal Klaus later returns with several hybrids into town among them Mindy, Tony and Daniel. After he releases Stefan from his compulsion, Stefan plans on having his revenge for Klaus's action and steals the coffins of his family members. Klaus, desperate to have his family back, uses his hybrids to look for them and to threaten those Stefan once cared about. However, when a hybrid is found at the witch house where Stefan is keeping the coffins, Stefan uses Klaus's love for his family for blackmailing him into removing the hybrids from Mystic Falls. Jeremy is compelled to put himself in mortal peril and thus Elena is emotionally blackmailed by Klaus, to find Stefan and Originals. Alaric is badly wounded, as he saves Jeremy from certain death. Alaric is admitted to the hospital and there he meets Meredith Fell. Meanwhile, Stefan and Damon work together to prevent Klaus from finding the location of The Originals. When Stefan tells Klaus, if the hybrids do not leave the town, he will be forced to kill them; Stefan then kills Mindy, to show how serious he is in his threat. Klaus approaches Carol Lockwood and tells her who he is and what he did to Tyler. He makes a deal with her: to use his hybrids to protect Mystic Falls from the supernatural if the Council would help him in stopping Stefan. However, both Sheriff Forbes and Damon are unwilling to allow Klaus to keep the town hostage. Under Attack Shortly after the incident of Caroline with Tyler, and Elena with Stefan, strange attacks and murders have occurred to the members of the Council since the arrival of Meredith Fell to Mystic Falls. The first occurred one day after Caroline's birthday, Brian Walters was staked like a vampire in the woods. Previously, Brian was conversing with Meredith when Alaric appears. Brian tells Alaric to be careful, because Meredith is a psychopath. A day after Brian's death, Bill Forbes is hospitalized for being attacked by a werewolf. Bill was cured with vampire blood, which Meredith injected him. However, the morning after the attack, Sheriff Forbes visits the Gilbert House, where she says to Elena and Alaric, the stake into the body of Brian has the fingerprints of Elena. Caroline and Elena go to the hospital to see Bill, but he is brutally attacked in the hospital. He dies but comes back to life in transition. Bill does not accept becoming a vampire and dies. On the same day, at night, Alaric was home alone. He was attacked just like Bill and Brian were, but Elena and Matt find him barely alive. Elena stabs him, so that he can return to life with the help of his ring. However, when Sheriff Forbes follows up on their suspicions concerning Meredith, it turns out that she has a rock-solid alibi: an operating room full of witnesses in which she had been for six hours, making her unable to have attacked Alaric. Meredith discovers what is happening and stop Alaric to prevent more deaths. The magic of resurrection in the ring causes people to become insane and murderers. She and Elena try to find a medical explanation but can not find any abnormality. However, one night in the house Gilbert, Alaric attacks Meredith without using the ring and he is stopped by Stefan and Elena. Bonnie used herbs to stop the black magic. New Council A few days later, Alaric called a meeting. He told other members that the sheriff's daughter is a vampire and the mayor's son is a hybrid. Elizabeth told that that was enough and was about to leave, but Alaric stopped her saying that they were just getting started. The Council decided to side with Alaric in his quest to destroy the Originals. Elizabeth and Carol were relieved of their duties and Meredith was going to have her license suspended for using vampire blood. Alaric then used them to find Klaus's body. Without members of the founding families, the council was rebuilt and renamed. This occurred a few hours after the death of Elena, because Alaric was very intelligent and was able to give control to members more intelligent and competent, causing Pastor Young took command of security Season Four Ambush and Defeat In Growing Pains, Pastor Young takes control of the deputies and hunters under the authorization of the Council after the failures of the mayor and the sheriff in their duties to destroy the vampires. Pastor did an excellent job of removing the vampire blood in the hospital, to capture one of the Originals, as well as two vampires, and one in transition. During the transfer of the vampires to the Young Farm, Tyler/Klaus involved in the process freeing Caroline. After a long day, Pastor and his staff manage to wound the last vampire in Mystic Falls, but hunters are murdered by him, and when he is for killing his bait, a new vampire appears to stop it. After all vampires escaped, Pastor kills all the town council in his house explosion, except for Carol Lockwood, Elizabeth Forbes, and Meredith Fell. Disturbing Legacy In Memorial, there was a funeral of the members' deaths. The family members shared their memories of the council members who died. Eventually, Connor, a new vampire hunter finds the Pastor Young's letter, where it is mentioned of a greater evil and a war. In O Come, All Ye Faithful, one of the last members, Carol Lockwood, was killed by Niklaus Mikaelson. Appearances Season One * Family Ties * You're Undead To Me * Lost Girls * Haunted * 162 Candles * The Turning Point * A Few Good Men * Let The Right One In * Under Control * Miss Mystic Falls * Blood Brothers * Isobel * Founder's Day Season Two * The Return * Bad Moon Rising * Kill or Be Killed * Plan B * Masquerade * By The Light of the Moon * The Descent * Daddy Issues * Crying Wolf * The Dinner Party * Know Thy Enemy * The Last Dance * The Last Day * As I Lay Dying Season Three * The Birthday * The Hybrid * Disturbing Behavior * Ghost World * Our Town * Dangerous Liaisons * 1912 * Break On Through * Before Sunset * The Departed Season Four *''Growing Pains'' }} Members of the Town Council Alive/Undead Members BOT (12).jpg|Meredith Fell Elizabeth Forbes ~ The Last Dance.png|Elizabeth Forbes 121.jpg|Alaric Saltzman Deceased Members Mayor lockwood.jpg|Richard Lockwood Carollockwood3x14.png|Carol Lockwood Johnathan Guisseppe.jpg|Giuseppe Salvatore and Johnathan Gilbert graysongilbertfamilytree.png|Grayson Gilbert mirandagilbertfamilytree.png|Miranda Sommers Gilbert HonoriaFell.png|Honoria Fell ThomasFell.png|Thomas Fell Zach Salvatore 1.jpg|Zach Salvatore TVDS3 (12).jpg|Bill Forbes JohnGilbert.jpg|John Gilbert 632nkxhf.jpg|Logan Fell Brian Walters.jpg|Brian Walters Samantha-Gil.png|Samantha Gilbert Marianna-Lock2.png|Marianna Lockwood Zachariah and Gerald.png|Zachariah Salvatore and Gerald Forbes Pyoung.png|Pastor Young TVDS3 (13).jpg|Damon Salvatore Memberslist.png|List of the members 3x21members02.png|Members seen in 3x21members03.png|A Member seen in 3x21members04.png|A Member seen in 4x01members.png|Town Council Members seen in Vlcsnap-2012-10-19-11h04m31s154.png|Town Council Members seen in Trivia *Currently the only expelled members are: Elizabeth Forbes and Carol Lockwood. The case of Meredith Fell is uncertain, because her license is in process of being revoked, but does not mention her expulsion. Damon Salvatore's status in the council is unknown, but it can be assumed that he was expelled after it is revealed that he is a vampire. *In the episode Growing Pains (4x01), the Founder's Council is now called the Town Council. At the end of the episode, a large number of members (if not all) were killed in an explosion caused by Pastor Young. *The council was formed to protect Mystic Falls from vampires and other supernatural beings. Members felt that the greatest threat to them were vampires, but in the end, one of the members ends up killing most of them. *Every remaining member of the council, Elizabeth Forbes, Carol Lockwood, Damon Salvatore and Meredith Fell has something to do with supernatural. For Liz and Carol, this being the reason why they've been expelled. Liz's daughter (Caroline) is a vampire, Damon is a vampire himself, Carol's son (Tyler) is a hybrid (formerly werewolf), and Meredith used vampire blood to heal her patients. The newest member Rudy Hopkins' daughter Bonnie was a witch and now ghost. *It's revealed in Black Hole Sun that prior to May 10, 1994 the Founder's Council had been inactive. The council was restarted as the result of the death's at the Salvatore Boarding House caused by Damon as there was no way to hide so many deaths. References See also Category:Groups Category:Mystic Falls Residents Category:Vampire Hunters Category:Antagonists Category:Humans Category:Deceased Characters